Fire-escape.



D. J. ROCHE.

FIRE ESCAPE.

APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 1, 1910.

Patented May 16, 1911.

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' 1). J. ROCHE.

FIRE ESCAPE. APPLIOATIOK FILED OCT. 1,,1910.

992,257. Patented May 16, 1911.

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DAVID J. ROCHE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application filed October 1, 1910. Serial No. 584,916.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, DAVID J. Rocrrn, a C1t1- zen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a traveling elevator outside a building adapted to be moved horizontally to any window on any floor, and be accessible to persons desiring to escape therefrom. A device which can be operated by persons from the windows, and inside the elevator.

The manner in which I accomplish my object is described in the following specifications and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the cage at the highest position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings 3 indicates metal rails supported in the same vertical plane by any suitable means fixed to the roof or face of a building.

4: indicates a traveling frame. Rotatably supported in this frame are two parallel shafts 5 on which grooved wheels 6 are rotatably supported. These wheels are rotatably secured between the rails 3. Rotatably supported in the frame 4 below the wheels 6 are two geared cable drums 7 and 8. On the shaft of the drum 8 are two friction wheels 9. Each of these wheels are encircled by a brake band 10 supported by a bracket 11 fixed on the frame 1. Connected to each of these bands and extending downward through apertures in the brackets 11 is a cable 12. Secured on the outer end of the shaft of the drum 8 is a ratchet wheel 13. This wheel is engaged by a pawl 14 operated by a cable 14 On the opposite end of the same shaft is a hand wheel 15.

parts are bored at each end and plungers 22 are supported therein. These plungers are engaged by coiled springs inserted in the bores as already described and indicated by the numerals 17 and 18 in the frame 4. These portions and plungers 22 are so arranged as to be in vertical line with the plungers 17. Supported by two of the parts 21 is a drum 23. This drum is connected by a cable 24 with the drum 7. Parallel with the drum 23 is a second drum 25 on which the cables 12 are adapted to be wound. The central projection of this drum is in contact with the rim of the drum 23 and by which the drum 25 is rotated. Fixed to the drum 25 is a friction wheel 26. Encircling the wheel 26 is a brake band 27 supported by a bracket 28 fixed to the frame of the cage. Attached to this band is a lever 29. Fixed on the end of the shaft of the drum 23 is a gear 30. Rotatably supported in the cage below the shaft of the drum 23 is a shaft 31; on the outside end of this shaft is a gear 32 enmesh with the gear 30. On the inside end of this shaft is a gear 33. Parallel with the shaft 31 is a stud 34. Rotatably supported on this stud is a gear 35 enmesh with the gear 33. Fixed on the gear 35 is a handle 36.

When my device is constructed as described and illustrated and hung in the rails attached to the building its operation is as follows :By the operation of the hand wheel 15 by a person at a window, or by the rotation of the gears by the handle 36 by a person in the cake 20, the cake can be raised to the position desired, and held at any point by the pawl 14 and ratchet wheel 13. The movements of the parts operated to raise the cage by the wheel 15 is direct through the drum 8 and cables 19; the coacting rotation of the drum 7 winds up the cable 24 which connect the drum 7 with the drum 23. When the movement is by the rotation of the gears supported in the cage, the operation is through the drum 23 on which the cable 24. is wound. The friction clutch cables 12 are also wound on the drum 25.

The frame of the cage can be inclosed and provided with doors or provided wit-h open rails for the protection of persons therein hence no further mention will be made to that as an element in my device, the floor of the cage being sufficient to illustrate my purpose.

Persons entering the cage can first control its movement by the lever 29 by which the drum 25 cables 12 and brakes 11 prevent the descent of the cage, or it can be controlled by the handle 36. By either or both of these means the cage can be held stationary.

The pawl is then released from the ratchet 13 and the cage lowered by the manipulation of the lever 29 or the handle 36, or by both.

It is obvious that the device can be readily moved laterally to any part of the building to the limit of the rails fixed thereto.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A pair of parallel rails adapted to be affixed on the exterior of a building, a plurality of wheels rotatably secured between said rails, a frame supported by saidwheels and rails, a pair of cable drums rotatably supported in said frame, parallel and geared together, means adapted to control and regulate the rotation of said drums, cables attached to said drums, a cage supported by one of said cables, a cable drum rotatably supported in said cage connected by one of said cables with said drums in said cage, means rotatably supported in said cage adapted to be operated, and whereby the movement of said drums and cables can be controlled and said cage raised and lowered, a second drum rotatably supported in said cage in friction contact with said cable drum whereby said drum is rotated, cables at tached to said drum and connected with said means in said frame whereby the rotation of said drums is controlled and regusaid drums and said ca e a drum rotatabl supported in said cage, means in said cage whereby the rotation of said drum can be controlled, a cable connecting said drum and one of said drums in said frame, a second drum in said cage engaged with and rotatable by said first mentioned drum, means in said cage adapted to control the rotation of said second drum, cables connecting said second drum and said friction means in said frame whereby the movements of all of said drums, cables and cage can be controlled as described.

DAVID J. ROCHE.

Witnesses THOMAS J. MoneAN, JULIUS RUBINsTEIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, WashingtomD. C. 

